


safe house

by nausicaa_of_phaeacia



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Daisy And Her Huge Crush On Coulson, F/M, Phil and his Huge Crush on Daisy, Prompt Fic, Texting, cousyfest2k17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 04:31:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10563759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nausicaa_of_phaeacia/pseuds/nausicaa_of_phaeacia
Summary: It sucks, because they end up in different hiding places.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hamsterfactor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamsterfactor/gifts).



> Written (late) for the #cousyfest2k17, day 2: [SAFE HOUSES].  
> For hamsterfactor :)  
> Nothing happens, basically. Hope you still like it!

It sucks, because they end up in different hiding places. Technically, they are safe houses, sure, but it‘s pretty naive to assume that spies always hide out in cool places that have everything you need. Obviously, that occurs, too (Daisy remembers San Marino, okay), but it‘s not the norm. And _this_ , this is very sub-norm. 

Of course, she‘s the last person to complain about sleeping arrangements. She‘s had far worse, and even that had never been anything to complain about. A horizontal surface to sleep on, a roof over her head and some sort (or semblance) of a closed door is all she‘s ever really needed, to be honest. And all of that is provided here, as she‘s lying on the floor of a tiny pawn shop, hiding behind an ugly sofa so as not to be seen through the shop windows. Not that anyone is really going to look for anything in a pawn shop in the middle of the night, but still, precautions (Coulson had told her about ten times over the comms to be careful and to make sure she was lying in a strategically advantageous spot between the second-hand furniture). 

Coulson‘s got it worse, presumably, because he‘s spending the night under the roof of a train station. Sure, it‘s hard to spot anyone there since there‘s only one window and there‘s no reason why anyone should enter the building during the night, but there‘s also no heating, and there‘s the ugly noise of freight trains speeding through the station at quite regular intervals. Looks like neither of them is going to get a lot of sleep tonight.

After a while, Daisy realizes she‘s been checking her phone every thirty minutes or so, and it‘s getting boring. She‘d been trying to read some Tabucchi (Elena has recommended her that one book about the journalist), and it looks great, but the light background of the e-book is bothering her, it‘s making her squint really hard. Playing games hasn‘t been doing it for her either – it has been making her more and more tired, but the events of the day and the … weird surroundings haven‘t been making this easier. Plus, she‘s worried. About Coulson, mostly. He‘s a great spy, but he must be exhausted after today, so he‘s probably not as cautious as he knows to be.

After another attempt at getting a little more comfortable behind this stuffy abomination of a sofa, she pulls her phone back out from under her jacket again.  
She types out a text, deletes it again. Repeats it. Rolls her eyes at herself.  
\- _u awake?_  
She doesn't mean to hit send, but she almost drops her phone on her face, so there you go. For some reason, she gets nervous, but it takes him mere seconds to reply.  
\- _Yeah. You?_  
It makes her laugh more than it should.  
\- _think so. u wouldn't know from looking at me tho_  
He sends her a smiley face. A _smiley face_. Typed out.  
It makes her feel warm.

\- _are u ok over there? not too cold?_  
\- _I've had it warmer, but it's fine._  
She's started typing furiously when another text arrives.  
\- _It's fine, Daisy. I promise. I found gloves in my pockets._  
\- _ok but i don't wanna defrost u with a hair dryer tmrw_  
\- _That would take forever._  
\- _i could also put u into the oven but that sounds too much like german fairy tales_  
\- _That sounds more like you'd want to eat me alive._  
She swallows, because that's ... okay, she's sort of anticipated this, but things are taking an unusual direction here.

\- _lol i don't eat spies_  
Before he can reply, she sends him more.  
\- _spies have too many muscles to taste good_  
She almost simultaneously receives something from him.  
\- _Spies are far too dry for steak._  
\- _and they smell like sweat and bullets_  
\- _Also, they're always near their expiration date, basically._  
She laughs herself to tears at that. She really wishes he was here.

\- _it sucks that you're not here_  
Daisy bites her lip, because this might just have been a tad too honest. On the other hand, it's past three in the morning, so.  
\- _Same._  
It makes her smile.  
\- _pink floyd_  
\- _"Swimming in a fish bowl"_  
\- _yeah that too_

She thinks about that. Okay, it's no use to pretend that she doesn't know that lyrics to that song by heart, because she does. "Two lost souls" sounds about right. It's hard not to think about this, about _them_.  
\- _if u could, would u come over?_  
It takes him longer to reply that with the other texts, and she almost feels guilty for putting him into such a position.  
\- _That sounds like a trick question. Like the Kobayashi Maru Test._  
\- _nerd_  
\- _Nerd yourself :)_  
That smile. She can see it on his face.

\- _ok but would you?_  
\- _I would. But there's a reason why we're in separate safe houses._  
\- _i know. whichever was nearest. still. it just sUCKS_  
\- _I agree._  
She repositions herself again, decides to give up on her jacket as a pillow and use it as a blanket instead. Much better.  
\- _so what r u doing?_  
\- _Besides texting you, nothing. Tried to listen to some music but there are too many trains._  
\- _aw i'm sorry. must be like an earthquake every five minutes_  
\- _Not like yours._  
Okay, that's flirting. 

She's actually smiling like an idiot right now.  
\- _coulson you're flirting_  
There's a beat and she's almost scared she's scared him.  
\- _I think you started, though._  
She instinctively considers scrolling back in order to come up with something to prove him wrong, but doesn't. Because even if she started, so what. She's missed him too much for her to try and deny this right now. If you give it a closer look, they've always been sort of flirty with each other. Sure, it might just be regular "banter", and everyone knows about Coulson being _charm school_ , but still.

\- _do u mind that?_  
This is getting dangerous.  
\- _Not at all._  
Okay, she just needs to sit up at that. To make it feel more real.  
\- _i'm glad_  
\- _i like it_  
Daisy breathes out audibly, runs her fingers through her hair. She doesn't even know why she's being this honest, but it feels right. It might also be a mistake, but she won't know until later, probably. 

\- _Daisy, are you serious?_  
Her heart is in her throat now. She's never typed faster.  
\- _yes i was i'm sorry_  
\- _i shouldnt have said all taht_  
\- _you probably just wanna sleep an i'm makign your phone beep all teh time_  
\- _i'm sorry. its probably the lack fo sleep_  
\- _Don't say that. I like it too._  
\- _And my phone doesn't beep. It's on silent. I'm a spy._

That cracks her up.  
\- _omg i can't. i'm laughing too hard_  
\- _I can practically hear you :)_  
\- _hope you can't. still in hiding_  
\- _Whose idea was this mission anyway?_  
\- _take a wild guess. he's loving his job way too much_  
\- _Jeff has his qualities, though._  
\- _organizing safe houses apparently isn't his strength tho_  
\- _He's just being careful. It's dangerous for us to be seen together._  
\- _that just sounds like we're cheating on your wife or smth_  
\- _He's not wrong. Not sure whom to trust since Wednesday._  
\- _same_  
\- _with some exceptions_  
\- _Same. Present company excepted._  
He's sweet. 

\- _only it's virtual company_  
\- _Of course, that's not the same thing. But I'm still glad you're awake._  
\- _Even though I preferred if you slept. It's past 0400._  
\- _probably wouldn't have slept a lot anyway_  
\- _you should see this sofa_  
\- _more importantly, smell it_  
\- _Oh God, I'm sorry :)_  
\- _At least you're in a place that isn't shaking regularly._  
\- _Do you have heating?_  
\- _yes i do_  
He doesn't reply right away, and she feels bad. She's probably phrased this awkwardly.  
And then she understands.  
It's not just the flirting. That's just a symptom.

\- _do u have heating?_  
\- _Not up here, but I guess the ground floor is being heated, so it's okay._  
\- _u should come here then. or is it too dangerous?_  
\- _It's fine, don't worry. I have the gloves. And this is a good jacket._  
\- _no i'm coming over. is that ok?_  
\- _You'll be cold._  
\- _we'll commiserate then_

He probably knows he can't convince her otherwise, but he tries.  
\- _You should stay there. Try to get some sleep._  
\- _not next to that sofa_  
\- _MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ha_  
\- _Daisy. Be reasonable. It's called a safe house for a reason._  
\- _yours is a safe house too_  
\- _i'll be safe there_  
\- _At least stop texting while you're moving, then. Too dangerous._  
\- _i've done this sort of stuff once or twice before u know_  
\- _Sorry. Please be careful._  
\- _promise_

This whole exchange has been making her feel warmer than it should have. _Please be careful._ Sometimes she thinks all Coulson thinks about is her well-being.  
Soon, she arrives at the train station, carefully approaching his location through dimly-lit alleys, as illogically as possible, so she wouldn't be recognized or even followed.  
Roof.  
\- _p hil openthe windwo_  
\- _Just a second!!!_  
He opens the single ceiling window.  
"God, Daisy, are you okay?," he asks into the darkness.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I only had one free hand for texting."  
He chuckles, and she instantly feels safe. 

"Come in."  
He offers her a hand, and she gladly accepts it as she's lowering herself down from the ridge. She carefully jumps down into the room, putting a little bit of weight onto his hand as she lands.  
It makes both of them look at their hands, and it's awkward.  
"Thanks for coming," he says, "hope you're not too cold."  
"I have a good jacket, too," she replies, and the way she smiles at him tells him she doesn't mind having come here, at all.  
They're still sort of holding hands, and heaven knows why she's doing this, but Daisy pulls him close, pulls him into this tight hug, and she can feel his cheek against hers as he's smiling. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Tell me what you think :)


End file.
